Curved Waterjet-Guided Laser Micro-Manufacturing

该奖项的研究目标是为水射流作为激光束波导的微操作制定一种方法和系统，从而开发出一种新的多功能混合水射流制导激光微制造工艺和能够激光烧蚀、微切割、表面微纹理和修改以及微增量成形的机器。所设想的过程的显著特征在于可以同时使用具有不同属性的热和机械作用以控制比例。该方法将利用由多极致动器产生的可控静电场来弯曲水射流波导，从而控制空间方向、撞击位置、激光作用方向和水射流施加在工件上的力。主要工作包括：(1)水射流波导表征；(2)水射流弯曲并通过静电执行器控制；(3)水射流引导微增量成形工艺开发；(4)构建实验样机，作为工艺模型和技术验证的载体。如果成功，这项研究将带来一种新的能力，可以在不重新定位零件的情况下在金属和非金属零件上制造三维微特征，这将提高精度。水射流和激光束的物理相互作用将打开工艺窗口，在单个混合集成制造机器中实现工件材料的变形、切割和表面处理。由于预期的高过程带宽，过程生产率将大大提高。该项目将通过研究机会、课程项目和短期课程，为研究生、本科生和从业人员提供培训。

The research objective of this award is to formulate a methodology and system for the micro-manipulation of a waterjet serving as a laser beam waveguide leading to the development of a new multi-functional hybrid waterjet-guided laser micro-manufacturing process and machine capable of laser ablation, micro-cutting, surface micro-texturing and modification and micro-incremental forming. The salient characteristic of the envisioned process rests in the possibility of simultaneously using thermal and mechanical actions with different attributes in controlled proportions. The approach will be the use of a controlled electrostatic field generated by a multi-pole actuator to bend the waterjet waveguide and, thereby, control the spatial orientation, the position of impingement, direction of lasing action and the force the waterjet exerts on the workpiece. The principal tasks will be: (1) waterjet waveguide characterization; (2) waterjet bending and control through an electrostatic actuator; (3) waterjet-guided micro-incremental forming process development; and (4) construction of an experimental prototype machine to serve as a vehicle for process model and technology verification.If successful, this research will lead to a new ability to manufacture three-dimensional micro-features on metallic and non-metallic parts without relocating the part, which will lead to enhanced precision. The physical interaction of the waterjet and laser beam will open process windows for achieving deformation, cutting, and surface treatment of the workpiece material in a single hybrid integrated manufacturing machine. Process productivity will be considerably enhanced because of the anticipated high process bandwidth. The project will provide training to a diverse group of graduate and undergraduate students and practitioners through research opportunities, course projects and short courses.